Getting Motivated

When
I was a little girl, my parents took me to visit our cousins. I noticed
immediately that something was different in the way they communicated.
They used hand gestures and had an interesting accent when they spoke
orally. Their children were also using these hand gestures from the crib
and play pen. I learned that my cousins were Deaf and that their two
children were hearing, but were communicating with them in American Sign
Language (ASL). I was completely and utterly enthralled to say the
least. I loved watching them communicate and vowed to learn their
beautiful expressive language. As I got older, I became interested in
Helen Keller after watching The Miracle Worker, and decided that I wanted to teach Deaf children at some point in my life.

I
realized that dream the year after I graduated from college. I chose to
take a year off between college and law school, and obtained a position
as an instructor and sometimes interpreter at the NY School for the
Deaf. I wound up staying 3 years as I loved it so much! I attended law
school in the evening instead of the day in order to continue teaching.
Those three years were very important to me. They helped me develop my
love of ASL and become an advocate for persons with disabilities. I
wrote and published many pieces on disability law, taught disability law
classes for a law school as an adjunct professor, and served as the
co-chair of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Committee for the
American Bar Association.

Eventually,
I left my law career and that ended my official disability law
pursuits. However, it did not end my love affair with sign language, or
my support of Deaf rights. I carried many lessons with me that I learned
from my years working within the Deaf community.

Did you
ever notice that when someone is speaking to a deaf or hard of hearing
person, they do the one thing that makes absolutely no sense? They start
speaking a lot louder! Sometimes they even start yelling. This makes
absolutely no sense because the one thing the deaf person can't do is
hear.

In
fact, the Deaf community has a popular phrase: "I can do anything but
hear!" It is an empowering phrase that reminds them that although
deafness may be perceived by the hearing world as a disability, that is
their only limitation.

What is
your perceived "disability"? How would you answer the phrase "I can do
anything but _______." I am hoping that there is nothing after the word
but. However, some of you may have something that came to mind. It may
be a limiting belief, an outdated assumption, a block, an objection, a
stereotype, a negative message that you were programmed to believe.
Those things may be your version of a disability.

Here
are 5 success principles I learned from teaching the Deaf that will help
you develop a Can-Do Attitude and start breaking through your own
limitations.

1. Don't Make AssumptionsWe
all make assumptions based on our background and experience. We often
have a running commentary in our head that is like a broken record
playing over and over. Be careful of that recording! I learned about not
making assumptions from my experience working with the Deaf. For
example, sign language isn't Universal. Not all deaf people can read
lips. Not everything is as it appears in life. What "assumptions" are
you holding onto that may be wrong, outdated or are not serving you in
business and in life? Work on identifying them, turning them on their
head and challenging them.

2. Make Eye ContactYou
must look at a deaf person to communicate. In the hearing world, it is
amazing how many people don't make eye contact when speaking to each
other. Making eye contact is a great habit to cultivate in general, but
it is even more vital for an entrepreneur, coach, consultant and
certainly for a speaker. Pay attention to people when they are speaking
to you. Make eye contact and show them that you care!

3. Don't Just Hear... Listen and Understand

Deaf
people can't hear, but they do listen. A common phrase that the Deaf
often use when having a conversation is "I understand". They are showing
that they are paying attention to what you are communicating, and that
they are truly listening to you. Many people are good speakers, but not
good listeners. If you are not truly listening, try it. It can make a
huge difference in your communication and relationships.

4. Keep Your Sense of Humor

Many
deaf people have a wickedly good sense of humor, and can laugh at
themselves. This is a great lesson for all us in life and business. It
helps you to keep a positive attitude and draws people to you. Find the
humor in everything and keep things as light as you can. I often think
humor is a wonderful way of diffusing many difficult or challenging
situations. Learning to laugh at life, and ourselves, is a great skill
to cultivate.

5. Plan Ahead for Life's Bumps in the RoadIf
you know there may be a roadblock ahead, don't bury your head in the
sand... plan for it. I had a student named Matthew that had Usher's
Syndrome. He was deaf and was slowly losing his eyesight also. Usher's
Syndrome causes loss of vision slowly over a period of time, first
affecting your peripheral vision and then slowly affecting your entire
eyesight like a tunnel closing up. Matthew planned ahead for this
eventual vision loss by learning braille and sign language in hand so he
could continue to communicate. Talk about dedication and planning ahead
for a bump in the road! Take a page out of Matthew's book. When you plan ahead, prepare and face
life head on. It helps you to not only obtain a better result, but
possibly enjoy the journey and the process.

I hope
you are inspired by these brave deaf individuals and their can-do
attitude. Now ask yourself, can you develop a Can-Do Attitude? What
success principles do you have in your bag of tricks to help you start
overcoming your perceived limitations? Start tapping into those success
principles and tools.

Lisa
Montanaro is a Productivity Consultant, Success Coach, Business
Strategist, Speaker and Author who helps people live successful and
passionate lives, and enjoy productive and profitable businesses. To
receive her free Toolkit, Achieve Powerhouse Success with Purpose,
Passion & Productivity, visit www.LisaMontanaro.com/toolkit

. Lisa is the author of several books, including DECIDE to be Organized: An Empowering Process for Change

.
Through her work, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block
personal and professional change and growth. To explore how Lisa can
help you be purposeful, passionate and productive, contact Lisa at (530) 564-4181 or by e
-mail at Lisa@LisaMontanaro.com.